Ozeki Kaio made a strong comeback in his bid for yokozuna promotion after a first-day defeat as he handily disposed of Iwakiyama at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on Monday.
Kaio made an inauspicious start with a first-day defeat and left the Fukuoka hometown fans wondering if he will once again buckle under the pressure at crunch time at the 15-day meet.
But he overpowered Iwakiyama in a lopsided affair to bounce back with flying colors at Fukuoka Kokusai Center as he aims to win his second straight title for a chance at sumo's ultimate rank.
Kaio bundled the third-ranked maegashira out from behind, leaving both men at 1-1.